Ingredients:
- 1 kg (about 2 pounds) whole freshwater fish (Ca Qua)
- 1 egg, separated
- 2 tbsp. wheat flour
- salt and pepper
- celery, cut in 1-1/2 inch slivers
- Vietnamese pickles, fresh ginger root and green onion, cut in
1-1/2 inch slivers
- spices: fresh red chilis, fresh ginger root, finely chopped
- flour for dredging
- vegetable oil for frying
- fresh vegetables for stir frying: onion, tomato, carrot, baby
corn, mushrooms
- fresh dill, chopped for garnish
Sauce for Fried Fish
Mix ½ cup water, 1 tbsp. wheat flour, sugar, salt, pepper, MSG (optional), vinegar and
Hoa Hien (red food coloring). Bring to a boil, set aside in a warm place, or reheat before
serving.
Sauce for Steamed Fish
Mix ½ cup water, one egg white (use egg white for decoration, it will look like clouds),
salt, pepper and MSG (optional). Bring to a boil, set aside in a warm place, or reheat
before serving.
Method:
One half of the fish is fried, and the other steamed. Then,
the two halves are "married" on the serving plate.
To start, wash and clean the fish and remove the skin. Cut
the fillets from either side and slice them into pieces (the thinner the better) about 2
inches by 3 inches. Put half of these strips aside to be fried later. Keep the spine and
head intact and put aside.
Steamed Fish
Mix the egg yolk with one tbsp. of flour, add minced chilis, and salt and pepper to
taste. Make sure the mixture is thick, not watery. Baste half of the fish strips with the
egg mixture, on the side from which skin was removed. Wrap around small portion of celery
slivers and chopped chili and ginger. Squeeze shut, using extra egg mixture to seal if
necessary. Put the rolls, seam side down, into a steamer. Steam about 10 minutes or until
fish is cooked through.
While steaming, prepared the fried fish.
Fried Fish
Baste the reserved pieces of fish with the remaining egg on the side from which skin was
removed, then roll them around the ginger, onion and pickle slivers. Squeeze the rolls
shut, sealing with extra egg if necessary. Dredge lightly in additional flour. Heat about
½ inch of oil in pan until very hot, reduce heat and add fish rolls, being careful to
place them skin side down. Fry for 2 or 3 minutes, or until golden brown, then turn and
cook other side. Remove from oil and keep warm.
Fry fish head and spine until brown and crispy.
Vegetables
In a clean pan with a thin coating of vegetable oil, quickly stir-fry the mushrooms,
tomatoes, carrots, and other fresh vegetables. Divide between the fried fish and steamed
fish.
To serve, place the steamed fish rolls on one side of the
fish spine and the fried rolls on the other. Serve with fresh dill and the sauces.
Ao Dai
Legend |
